The hardest job imaginable
by kahunaangelica
Summary: Shadow is going to go through probably the hardest mission of his life. Something we all have to at some point or another.
1. Chapter 1

Barf. That is the sound that came from the bathroom when Rouge was in it. She had been sick roughly a 3 weeks with the flu, she'd barf in the morning mostly, but sometimes if someone mentioned fish, it made her sick. Her husband Shadow had been really worried about her. They had only been married about 4 or 5 months. Since Maria and his "father" had died many years before he found it hard to love but when she came into his life he felt a spark of warmth in his ice cold heart.

Slowly over time that spark grew bigger and bigger and melted his heart and he knew what true love was for the first time in half a century. She was the only thing that he truly cared about besides his surrogate family and his friends. When Rouge walked into the living room of their apartment she flopped down on the couch that Shadow was sitting on and into his lap. He began to stroke his wife's ivory fur. "Ugh, this sucks. When will this flu go away?" she asked. "I don't know it doesn't seem like the flu. Do you have any other symptoms besides the vomit?" Shadow asked.

Rouge shook her head no. "Maybe we should take you to a doctor. Maybe a professional can give us some insight on this mysterious vomiting?" said Shadow. The couple walked to the doctor's office and waited for the man to tell them what was wrong. The doctor took some tests and then told them to go home and wait for the results, it would be awhile for an answer. And that is exactly what they did.

The couple went back to where they were before, on the couch with Rouge's head in Shadow's lap. They were both a little nervous, they had no idea that they were worrying over nothing really important, except the rest of their lives. They waited for 2 days and Rouge still was emptying her dinner into the toilet. "Shadow, what if I'm slowly dying or this is some sort of cancer?" asked Rouge who was starting to tear up. Seeing this Shadow brought Rouge into his arms.

"Then I will do everything I can to make sure you get well again. I promise no matter what is the cause of this I will be right here by your side until it is over," Shadow replied. Rouge kissed him on the cheek. That day they left to see if the results were back and they were. I don't think that they were in the least bit ready for the news that they were going to receive.

They walked into the examining room and waited for what seemed like hours for the doctor. Rouge became very tense, so many things were going through her head at that very moment. Would she die, was it cancer, was it a poisoning or was she . . . no she couldn't be, she couldn't have a tumor, could she? Shadow saw how nervous that his poor wife was experiencing at the moment. She was very pale and looked as if she was going to lose her mind. He put a hand on her shoulder, and she touched his hand back.

Finally the doctor (I honestly don't care what he is or what his name is, he is just some faceless nameless doctor no one cares about), he looked at his clipboard, then at them. "Well Mrs. It is nothing serious at all. No cancer, no disease, no tumor," he said. "Then why am I throwing up?" asked Rouge. "Oh, that is simple. You're pregnant," said the doctor. "Sweet jesus," said Shadow in his mind. Rouge hugged Shadow, "Oh my god, we're gonna be parents."


	2. Chapter 2

"Pregnant, my wife is . . . pregnant?" asked Shadow. "Yes," said the doctor. "Shadow isn't this wonderful, we are parents. You know I heard that Sonic and Sally are going to have children soon, I think Silver and Tails are, too. Everyone else but Mighty, Ray, Amy and Rotor have babies. Aren't you happy?" asked Rouge gently grabbing Shadow's hand as they left the doctor's office and started to walk back to their apartment. "Yes, I-I-I am. You can go home I'm going to go for a walk," replied Shadow. "Why?" asked Rouge sadly. "I just want to be alone for a bit to process this. I'll see you back at the apartment," said Shadow. Rouge sadly flew home, she wasn't sure if Shadow was happy about this or not. When she got home she picked up the phone and made a few calls to some of her girlfriends.

She asked Mina, Bunnie, Julie-su, Sally, Saffron, Blaze and Amy over, she need some advice from her friends. She would have called her sister but Selena was a bit of a witch. If she had found out the Shadow, the guy she can't stand at all, impregnated her sister, heads would roll. She heard a knock on the door and let her girlfriends in to her apartment. Blaze was about 2 months pregnant so she wasn't exactly showing yet. Mina and Sally were also with child but they found out only just recently "So Rouge, why the house call?" asked Blaze. "Well, you know how I've been a little sick the past few weeks? Well I found out it wasn't the flu," said Rouge. "OMG, you have cancer," said Saffron. "No, I don't have cancer, Saffron. I'm having a kid," explained Rouge. "You're pregnant?" asked Amy. Rouge nodded yes. "I'm really happy, but Shadow is another story," Rouge continued.

"We just got back from the doctor's office and he didn't seem as thrilled about it as I am." "Well, males take that kind of news differently then females do, sometimes it's the female that isn't to happy but that's beside the point. Shadow is a great guy and would make a great dad. I mean look at Vector and Espio. Their great at the single dad thing and Espio has 2 girls," said Sally. "Sal's right, I don't think Shadow is going to leave any time soon. I mean he is the type of guy to just leave or anything," said Julie-su. "You, know speaking of Shadow where is he anyway?" asked Mina. "Oh, he went for a walk. If I know Shadow he's probably going to the park," replied Rouge.

She was right Shadow was in the park but he was not alone. "Hey Shadow," he heard from behind a very familiar voice. "Oh hey guys," said Shadow glumly. All his guy friends were right behind him. Knuckles, Antoine, Charmy, Espio, and Vector were all pushing strollers containing a baby. Knuckles daughter Lara-su, Espio's daughters Salma and Juanita, Vector's son Argyle, Charmy's quadruplet sons Zeppo, Harpo, Groucho and Chico, and Antoine's twins Belle and Jacque. Sonic, Tails, Amy's husband Ralph, and Silver didn't have anything because they didn't have kids. "Hey, Faker why are you so down?" said sonic playfully, "Or well downer than usual at least."

"I just got back from the doctor's office, rouge's is having a baby," replied Shadow. "Hey that's great, you're going join the club. The parent club, if Mighty, Ray, and Rotor were in to the whole marriage thing than they'd be apart, too. And if Ralph could have kids than he'd join in, too," said Knuckles. "Hey, it's not my fault I'm unable to bear children, it's what happens when your mother is irresponsible with alcohol," said Ralph. "Well, it's not that I don't want to be a dad, it's just that I'm not sure if I can be a good one," said Shadow. "Nonsense, you are a great secret agent. Parenting is a walk in the park compared to that," said Tails putting a hand on Shadow shoulder.

"Yeah, take me and Espy over here. We're single parents and we are great at it. All you got to do is let your instincts, your heart and a whole bunch of parenting classes tell you how to raise that kid up right," said Vector. "That, and you have a bunch of friends who can give you advice," said Charmy. Shadow contemplated this, "Well, I still don't know. This is just a bit of a shock. I wanted to wait," said Shadow. "Same here Shadow. But I believe in myself and I think that I can do a great job as a parent," said Silver. "I have one more thing to ask. Is this how you all felt when you found out?" asked Shadow, he got nods, a few "so so" hand gestures or nods no from all of his buddies. Then Sonic put a hand on Shadow's shoulder and said, "I totally felt that way when I found out but I'm over it."


	3. Chapter 3

When Shadow got home a few hours he got a big smooch from Rouge and found a bunch of girls in his apartment leaving. "Hi, Shads, Bye Shads, talk to ya later Rouge," said Mina on her way out. "Y'all seem to need to talk to one another, so we are just gonna get out of y'alls hair," said Bunny. "Bye Rouge, if you need advice I can give a good pregnancy book, 'What to expect,' and I know where to find a store that sells maternity clothing," said Blaze. The rest of the girls waved as they exited, Rouge went to sit on the couch and Shadow the same. "I talked to Sonic and the others while in the park and . . . I think I'm ready to be a dad." "I think you're right, I was talking to the girls, obviously, and they think so too. Although this seems a little early, what should we name it?" asked Rouge.

"You're already thinking of names, you found out only a few hours ago," exclaimed Shadow. "Hey it was only a suggestion, don't have a cow," laughed Rouge who began to tickle her husband. Shadow laughed, Rouge continued to pore it on until he grabbed her hands, "I'm gonna make you regret that," he growled but with a big smile on his so you know he is joking. He had his hands in a manner that Rouge knew what was happening next.

"Oh no, you stay away from me," she exclaimed. She tried to run but he grabbed her and tickled, but unlike her who tickled his belly Shadow went for the pits. She was laughing and he was laughing, Rouge was saying to stop and he wouldn't then she hit him with a pillow. The next thing they knew they were kissing.


End file.
